Inside the BRD: Bay Rivers District Football Players and Plays of the Week

Three games in for everyone, the Bay Rivers District football picture still isn’t quite in focus. Lafayette, Smithfield and York are all unbeaten, and looking pretty good, but just how good they are won’t be clear for another week or two.

For now, we give you the superlatives from this past Friday’s games, which offered plenty.

Offensive Player of the Week: Playing fully healthy for the first time this season after missing a game-and-a-half with an ankle injury, Warhill junior Devonte Dedmon was stellar in a 32-14 upset of Poquoson.

He ran for 211 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to running in two two-point conversions. And he completed both passes he threw – for 100 yards and a TD - while completing another pass for two points.

Offensive Plays of the Week: Smithfield’s James Green made a Lynn Swann-like juggling catch while falling down, with a defender draped on him no less, for a 39-yard gain against Jamestown. Smithfield QB Jermaal Wells had another completion in the game, for a 28-yard TD to Marcel Curry in the back of the end zone that was nearly as impressive a play.

Defensive Players of the Week: Smithfield defensive ends Shatwon Johnson and Deshaun Faltz had three sacks each in the Packers’ 28-18 win over Jamestown.

Defensive Play of the Week: Poquoson’s 10 minute, 13 second 19-play drive ended inches short of a touchdown when Warhill end Parker Osterloh made the initial stop on Islanders back Grayson Boyce, before Dedmon and Kennedy Barbour helped finish off the tackle.

Special Teams Play of the Week: Marquis Childress’ 90-yard kickoff return in the second quarter gave Smithfield the lead for good in its win over Jamestown.

Century Club: Other than Dedmon, Grafton’s Dylan Bartells had the biggest week among rushers breaking 100 yards, as he ran for 177 and three touchdowns in a 43-19 win over New Kent. Tywaun Lewis ran for 101 yards, including a 69-yard TD, in York’s 14-7 win over Tabb.

While the Jamestown-Smithfield game did not produce a 100-yard rusher, both quarterbacks, Smithfield’s Jermaal Wells (130 yards) and Jamestown’s Tyler Doane (125) surpassed the century mark passing.

Rookie of the Week: Lafayette sophomore Brandon Villanueva-Pernell had a 40-yard punt return for a score the Rams’ 45-13 win over Bruton, in which he managed to dodge tackles all the way down the sideline. He also led the Rams with three receptions for 38 yards and intercepted a pass.

Games of the Week: The marquee game on the slate is the Lafayette-Smithfield matchup at Smithfield that pits two 3-0 teams. But York, also 3-0, should have its hands full against a Jamestown team that is better than its 1-2 record suggests. An 0-3 team better than its record, according to many, is Tabb, which will seek to upset Poquoson (2-1) for a second straight year.